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Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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New Life Version

Ecclesiastes 3:4

There is a time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to have sorrow, and a time to dance.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Dancing;   Laughter;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dancing;   The Topic Concordance - Time;   War/weapons;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Time;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Dance;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Garden;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Dancing;   Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Israel, History of;   Laugh;   Poetry;   Time, Meaning of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ecclesiastes;   Games;   Laughter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Dancing;   Laughter;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Dance;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Ass;   Dance;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Games;   Laughter;   Providence;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Dancing;   Hillel;   Temurah, Midrash;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 27;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
a time to weep and a time to laugh;a time to mourn and a time to dance;
Hebrew Names Version
A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
King James Version
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
English Standard Version
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
New American Standard Bible
A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.
New Century Version
There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. There is a time to be sad and a time to dance.
Amplified Bible
A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.
World English Bible
A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
Geneva Bible (1587)
A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance.
Legacy Standard Bible
A time to weep and a time to laugh;A time to mourn and a time to dance.
Berean Standard Bible
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Contemporary English Version
for crying and laughing, weeping and dancing,
Complete Jewish Bible
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Darby Translation
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Easy-to-Read Version
There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. There is a time to be sad and a time to dance with joy.
George Lamsa Translation
A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;
Good News Translation
He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy, the time for mourning and the time for dancing,
Lexham English Bible
a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;
Literal Translation
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A tyme to wepe, and a tyme to laugh: A tyme to mourne, and a tyme to daunse:
American Standard Version
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Bible in Basic English
A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; {S}{S}{N}
King James Version (1611)
A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A tyme to weepe, and a tyme to laugh: a tyme to mourne, & a tyme to daunce.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to lament, and a time to dance;
English Revised Version
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Tyme to wepe, and tyme to leiye; tyme to biweile, and tyme to daunse.
Update Bible Version
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Webster's Bible Translation
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
New English Translation
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
New King James Version
A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
New Living Translation
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
New Revised Standard
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A time to weep, and a time to laugh, - A time to wail, and a time to dance for joy;
Douay-Rheims Bible
A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Revised Standard Version
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Young's Literal Translation
A time to weep, And a time to laugh. A time to mourn, And a time to skip.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.

Contextual Overview

1 There is a special time for everything. There is a time for everything that happens under heaven. 2 There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pick what is planted. 3 There is a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up. 4 There is a time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to have sorrow, and a time to dance. 5 There is a time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to kiss, and a time to turn from kissing. 6 There is a time to try to find, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away. 7 There is a time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; a time to be quiet, and a time to speak. 8 There is a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 9 What does the worker get for his work? 10 I have seen the work which God has given the sons of men to do.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

time to weep: Nehemiah 8:9-12, Nehemiah 9:1-38, Psalms 30:5, Psalms 126:1, Psalms 126:2, Psalms 126:5, Psalms 126:6, Isaiah 22:12, Isaiah 22:13, Matthew 9:15, Matthew 11:17, John 16:20-22, Romans 12:15, 2 Corinthians 7:10, James 4:9

a time to laugh: Genesis 21:6, Luke 1:13, Luke 1:14, Luke 1:58, Luke 6:21-25

to dance: Exodus 15:20, 2 Samuel 6:16

Reciprocal: Judges 21:21 - dance 1 Chronicles 15:29 - dancing Job 30:31 - General Psalms 30:11 - dancing Psalms 137:4 - How shall Proverbs 25:20 - so Ecclesiastes 7:14 - the day Song of Solomon 2:11 - General Ezekiel 21:10 - should Zechariah 7:3 - Should Luke 15:25 - he John 20:13 - why 1 Corinthians 7:30 - that weep

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The snake fooled me, and I ate."
Deuteronomy 29:19
When one hears the words of this curse, he will say in his pride, ‘I have peace even though I am strong-willed in my heart.' This will destroy the land that is watered along with the dry land.
2 Kings 1:4
This is what the Lord says. ‘You will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'" Then Elijah left.
2 Kings 1:6
They said, "A man came up to meet us. He said to us, ‘Go and return to the king who sent you. Tell him, "This is what the Lord says. ‘Are you asking Baal-zebub the god of Ekron because there is no God in Israel? So you will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'"'"
2 Kings 1:16
Then Elijah said to Ahaziah, "This is what the Lord says. ‘You have sent men to ask of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel to ask of His Word? So now you will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'"
2 Kings 8:10
Elisha said to him, "Go and tell him, ‘You will get better for sure.' But the Lord has shown me that he will die for sure."
Psalms 10:11
He says to himself, "God has forgotten. He has hidden His face and will never see it."
2 Corinthians 2:11
We forgive so that Satan will not win. We know how he works!
2 Corinthians 11:3
Eve was fooled by the snake in the garden of Eden. In the same way, I am afraid that you will be fooled and led away from your pure love for Christ.
1 Timothy 2:14
Adam was not fooled by Satan; it was the woman who was fooled and sinned.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A time to weep, and a time to laugh,.... There is a time for these things, as it goes ill or well with persons, as to their health, estate, or friends; and as it goes ill or well with kingdoms and states. The Jews wept when they were in Babylon, and their mouths were filled with laughter when their captivity was returned,

Psalms 137:1; and as it goes ill or well with the church of Christ, when there are corruptions in doctrine and worship, a neglect of ordinances, declensions in faith and practice, few instances of conversion, and there are divisions and contentions, it is a time for the mourners in Zion to weep but when God creates Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy, or makes her an eternal excellency, and the praise of the whole earth, then it is a time to rejoice and be glad, Isaiah 61:3; and as it is, with believers, when Christ is withdrawn from them, it is a time to lament, but, when the bridegroom is with them, it is a time of joy; when it is a night of darkness and desertion, weeping endures, but when the morning comes, the day breaks, and the sun of righteousness arises, joy comes with it, Matthew 9:15

John 16:19. Now in the present state is the saints' weeping time; in the time to come they will laugh, or be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory, Luke 6:21;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance; to mourn at funerals, and to dance at festivals; in a spiritual sense, God sometimes turns the mourning of his people into dancing, or joy, which that is expressive of; see Psalms 30:11.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 3:4. A time to weep, - laugh, - mourn, - dance

_________________ "When private griefs affect

The heart, our tears with decent sorrow flow;

Nor less becoming, when the public mourns,

To vent the deepest sighs. But all around

When things a smiling aspect bear, our souls

May well exult; 'tis then a time for joy."


 
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